Robert Burns and me

I have my parents to thank for my love of Burns, as well as being brought up in the heart of the Burns legend. This song finds the poet, let’s face it, feeling sorry for himself and complaining about why the birds and trees can be happy when he’s been dumped by his girlfriend.

I experienced the same thing as a fourth-year schoolboy on the very same banks of the Doon, pining for a fifth-year girl. So yes, I’ve suffered for my art. (Now it’s your turn, as the saying goes.)

This recording of Ye Banks And Braes

This recording was made in 2013 by Daniel Davis, who added some lovely trumpet.

The video

The video was shot on my phone in 2012, before I learned that you shoot video in landscape not portrait. It’s not the river Doon, but the river Ayr, pretty close by most standards. I grew up very close to the river and it’s a place of childhood wonder for me.

Thumb slap guitar technique

If you’re new to the thumb slap technique here’s the first of a series of tutorials by Gareth Evans. The rest are here.

Try this!

If you like artists like this as much as I do, then you'll know where my music's coming from. Get my latest album FREE with lyrics, chords and lots of background.

FOUR STARS in RNR magazine “Countrified pop in the Nick Lowe mould”

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About me

I’m Norman Lamont, a singer-songwriter who came of age in the early 70s. I was inspired by the singer-songwriters and bands of that period, especially on the UK labels like Island. If you like any of the artists I’ve written about, you might like my albums too.